New Morning
by ellivmacstellaiwish
Summary: This story is just a one shot. When Olivia and Elliot see each other a few months after he left SVU.


Just a One shot that I wrote the other day. I don't own any of the characters.

The sounds of the restless city assaulted her senses all at once. Olivia was standing on a street near the precinct waiting and watching the cars going on their normal day, the sun starting to rise, and most of all the smell of coffee. She didn't have to move at all to know that her ex-partner was there beside her.

"Liv, you ok?"

She could hear the genuine concern in his voice and could tell that by his nervous shifting that he hoped it wasn't work related. How should she respond? Will he call her on her lie? Maybe he will let it go. This is Elliot we are talking about so he won't, who is she kidding? She does the only thing she knows how to do, answer his question with the same answer she has always given him and then deflect away from herself.

"I'm fine El, but that's not what you wanted to talk about is it?"

She saw him inhale deeply and let it out slowly "I don't have much to say. I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"Like I said before, I'm fine."

"Liv you've been telling me that for years and quite frankly I don't believe you this time."

She could feel the anger start to fester. She should have realized that something like this would happen. Honestly, how could he have seriously thought that after all this time he could just walk back into her life like nothing had happened? The better question was how could she have put herself in this situation, alone with Elliot? Maybe this will work out for the best. Who was she kidding? She had been gasping for air since he had left and now she could finally breathe. No matter how many times she tried to tell herself to forget him she always came back. What was wrong with her?

"Well you sure picked the wrong time to try to talk. I don't have to discuss this with you," as she stomped away.

Really she wasn't mad at him, well not technically. She was mad at herself, because she could not get mad at him. Their relationship has always been confusing, and at times just hard.

Elliot caught up to her and uttered "I'm sorry Liv. I just realized something since I've been away from the job. The distance sometimes helps, but in other ways it's unbearable." He shifted his weight slightly from side to side "I mean outside of the job people live regular lives without death and the terrors that we see every day. But then I would remember that you were still out there, still fighting those battles. It worries me all the time, and honestly it's been driving Kathy crazy."

"You don't need to worry about me El. Cragen gave me a new partner. He's a lot like you, except younger." She turned slightly to see if he was going to come back with some egotistical remark.

"Well we all know he's not me," as he smirked.

"Your right, he doesn't have your cocky attitude and he has a better sense of humor."

"If you're trying to get me angry it's not going to work. In fact, I'm in therapy." He stopped for a second to let that statement sink in and then continued on "After shooting that girl I had nightmares for months, and I still occasionally have them. It's either the same incident replaying over and over or then it turns into one of my daughters."

She was too startled to say anything so she just listened. That was one thing that they did not do very often, share feelings. Especially, not something as personal like that. She knew that she would have to respond somehow but she just didn't know what to say.

"El, why are you telling me this? To ease your guilt?"

"No, I just ….. I miss seeing you every day."

"El, I've been doing this job a long time. I will be fine."

"Really Liv," he said sarcastically. "I heard about your last case. Someone broke into your apartment and trashed it."

"I've been meaning to redecorate anyway," she said with a shrug of nonchalance.

Elliot frowned "I'm being serious."

"I know," as she sighed. "I don't have a lot of time left. I have to get to work."

"You think you can get away that easily? I called Cragen and told him that you were going to take the day off."

"What," as she stared at Elliot in horror.

"Cragen says that a break will be good for you. They can hold down the fort for a day."

"Why would you call Cragen?"

"To give us time to talk."

"Talk? Talk about what?"

"Us," he said matter of factly.

"What us? There is no us Elliot."

"Then why are you wearing the necklace I gave you?"

"Because it's pretty."

"Liv, we have all day. You might as well tell me the truth."

"That is the truth. It is pretty."

"And?"

She sighed knowing that she wouldn't win this time and said, "This might sound stupid, but I feel safer wearing it. Almost like you are watching out for me."

"That's not stupid."

"Well now that I said it, it sounds stupid."

She was glad that Elliot knew her well enough to not linger on that topic. "Come on Liv, let's go get some breakfast," as he started walking off not needing to look behind him to know that she would follow.

Sometimes she hated that about him, but other times she didn't. Even though they were not partners anymore she still had his back and he had hers. She caught up to him and walked in step with him just like they used to.

"So are you buying?"

Elliot grinned "Yeah, Liv, I'll buy."

"That's what I thought," as they walked down the street together.


End file.
